Japhet Cotto - "dark-skinned" pride of theater and cinema of the last century

Japhet Cotto (films "Stranger" and "Running Man") is rightly considered a "black" pride Broadway 50-ies. The actor's film career began in 1952. Especially memorable was the work of Cotto Japhet in the telefilm "The Slaughter Department", where he played Lieutenant Giardello ...

Biography

In 1937, an African-American family born a boy - Japhet Frederic Cotto. It happened in New York. Japhet's parents were Jewish. Father, Abraham, earned money, being a businessman. Mom - Gladys, worked as a nurse.

Abraham left his homeland and emigrated to America in the 1920s. He claimed that the grandfather of Japhetus was the ruler of the Cameroonian town of Douala as early as the nineteenth century.

In 1940, the boy's parents split up, and my mother brought up her son alone. Yafet graduated from school, and at age 16 entered the theater studio to study acting. He decided to become famous.

The actor of theater and cinema

At the age of 19, Japheth Cotto began his theatrical career. The first professional work was the role of Othello in a famous play. The guy willingly played both on Broadway, and on the stages of small theaters. In his opinion, it was much better than to implement ordinary roles in the cinema.

But the actor still had to participate in TV projects in order to feed the family. Since 1952, he receives episodic roles in the series Days in the Death Valley, Smoke from the Trunk and Bonanza.

In 1964, the young man was invited to appear in the film "Nothing but a man." This was his first significant work. Then followed the participation in the Oscar-winning "Thomas Crown Affair".

1973 begins with the role of "bad guy" in the next series of "Bond" - "Live and let die." Cotto played Mr. Big, who in the finale of the picture overtook a well-deserved death.

Until the early 80's Cotto Japhet was shot in such films as "Eye of the Tiger", "Brubaker", "Star Chamber". There was an actor and in the first part of the horror film Ridley Scott "Alien".

The next 10 years were full of work in films and on television in well-known projects. In "Running Man" Yafin plays a friend of Schwarzenegger - William Laughlin. Participation in the blockbuster brings Cotto's fame to a new level. Therefore, the next role should also be in the famous picture - "To be in time before midnight". Yafin worked with Robert De Niro in the image of an FBI agent.

Next came the thriller "The Last Point" and "The Intention to Kill," where the actor got the opportunity to be in the lead and play Captain Jackson.

In the last part of "Freddy Krueger" Cotto appears in the image of Doc. He generally carries on roles in horror films or in police films, which is confirmed by the work in the TV project "Slaughter Department" and its continuation - "Law and order." In both cases, Japhet plays the head of the murder department - Lieutenant El Giardello. Participation in the television series lasted all 7 seasons.

The last work of Japhet in the movie was the 2008 film "Silly Protection."

Despite his busy acting, Cotto Japhet is the producer, screenwriter and director of the film "Restriction." The picture was called a "black biker film."

A family

Cotto Japhet was married three times by marriage. The first wife is Rita Ingrid Dittman. The wedding took place in 1960. The family existed for 15 years and gave birth to 3 children, this is the daughter of Natasha, the sons of Robert and Frederick.

Exactly one week after the divorce, the actor marries again. This time to Antoinette Pettigione Cotto. He lived with her for more than 20 years and has two daughters from the marriage - Salina and Sarada.

In 1998, the actor married Tessa Sinakhon. Spouses are happy together to this day. They spend a lot of time in the Philippines, have a home in Baltimore.

Interesting Facts

1. From the Hebrew name "Japhet" is translated as "beautiful."
2. The actor together with his wife is the manager of the club of artists who are already at the venerable age. The organization is located in the Philippine Islands. Participants watch their food, relax and tidy up their appearance.
3. On the set of the film "Alien", director Ridley Scott "conflicted" with only one actor - Cotto Yafet. Black giant did not want the death of his character and offered the director hundreds of options how to avoid this.
4. In 1997, the actor published an autobiography. Among many, it affirms that Japhet Cotto is of the origin of Queen Victoria herself.
5. Most often, the actor plays detectives or policemen. The son of Japhet - Frederick, serves in the police of California.
6. In 1980, Japheth was offered the role of Lando Caprissian in the 5th episode of the Star Wars saga. But the superstitious actor refused because of fear that the hero will be killed, and his spirit will be unconquerable to fly around the planets.

Over his career in more than 70 films, Japheth Cotto (full filmography includes about 100 roles) took part from the main characters to episodic moments. The actor went through a glorious and hard way for a dark-skinned man in the cinema.